Blogspot - Recipe Scratch Rusia

Last weekend we hosted a dinner at The School House.  My Aunt and Uncle were visiting, so we treated everyone to a dinner (mostly) from our garden.  Dinner at the school house is a unique setting - it feels sort of like a country house, but also a little like a store.  We had plenty of wine and music and a delicious fresh menu that tasted like summer. It was mostly adults (except for Emma and her baby cousin), so I took the opportunity to set a pretty table using the new linens from the Classic Collection - Navy Fleur Block Print . I took these photos in the afternoon, but we didn't have dinner until 8pm, so you'll have to imagine the candles flickering and the sun setting over the field against the huge wall of windows. I design all of the runners in my store to be extra wide and extra long.  I love big, rustic farmhouse tables - I love to see the patina and character of the wood.  I'm not much of a placemat person, so this extra long, extra wide runner provide...

We hosted Mike’s parents last night for dinner.  We’ve been on spring break this week, spending some time at home and some at the beach.  When we’re home and have the luxury of piddling around the house, there is nothing I’d rather do than plan a dinner.   Extra Wide & Extra Long Spa Gingham Table Runner The Menu I’ve had the itch to recreate this dinner since December when my friend served it at a dinner party.  Everything was so delicious and complimentary, indulgent without being to heavy. Spring Salad Beef Tenderloin Porcini & Mascarpone Potatoes Gratin Roasted Rainbow Carrots Roasted Asparagus Spa Gingham Napkins The weather here is finally turning spring-ish in the last couple of days, but the evenings and mornings are still cool.  This menu would be perfect during the holidays, but the roasted asparagus and rainbow carrots also make it feel springy, too.  While the Beef Tenderloin, always a treat, the real star of this menu is the Porcini ...

There is such a wide range of entertaining styles out there.  Some think that entertaining should be about crystal, china and lit candles, and some think about a big crowd of family around the island munching on dips using paper plates and napkins.  I like to live somewhere in between - I think most of us do.  I love sitting down to a pretty table, but I don't like to feel like it is fancy or stiff.  I love crowding around the island, munching on snacks, but I still like pretty platters and artful displays.   I think at the end of the day, we all want to just feel like family when we're invited to someones home.  We want to feel casual enough to linger in the kitchen while helping ourselves to wine, but we also love that feeling of sitting down to a thoughtfully set table.  This setting is all of those worlds wrapped up into one.   It is a bit rustic with terra-cotta pots right on the table, but elegant with fresh gingham checked napkins and fresh...